FILE PHOTO: A pig is seen on the farm of pig farmer Han Yi at a village in Changtu county, Liaoning province, China January 17, 2019. REUTERS/Ryan Woo

BEIJING (Reuters) - China needs to step up its prevention and control of African swine fever, said the agriculture ministry in a statement on Monday, as the disease continues to spread across the world’s top pork-producing nation.

Authorities should combat illegal activities such as concealing outbreaks, selling and arbitrarily disposing of sick and dead pigs, and feeding kitchen waste to pigs, said the ministry following a meeting with 18 other ministries.

China has reported 110 outbreaks of the disease in 28 of its provinces and regions since August 2018.